May Report and June Goals

May Report

Well as predicted I made virtually no progress on my May goals only managing to complete one goal (knit a pair of socks) although I have made a start on organising my knitting stash. So June's goals are going to be a repeat of May's with the exception being that I have decided that I am far to behind on the KA KAL that I have absolutely no chance of catching up so I have dropped out.

April Goals

Stitching
1. Finish Monthly Musings
2. Make progress on The Big Zipper
3. Finish Knitting Goddess Needle Holder
4. Finish Knitting Goddess Stitch Marker Holder
5. Start one small project from stash
Knitting
1. Finish Mae's yellow cardigan
2. Make progress on lace long sleeved cardigan
3. Make progress on cabled jacket
4. Finish Ishbel Shawl
5. Cast-0n and finish a project using yarn from stash
Other
1. Organise my knitting; beading; stitching and sewing stash
2. Finish at least one quilting /patchwork / sewing project
3. Decorate my bathroom

Sunny Saturday

I have woken up to brilliant sunshine which matches my mood. Work has been super busy for the last few weeks which has meant long working hours and working at the weekends. Thankfully though we managed to get what needed doing done this past week so for the foreseeable future I am back to just working a 40 hour week. My crafting (and housework) has been somewhat neglected while work has been taking most of my waking hours so I am rather behind on achieving Mays goals but hopefully this weekend I will be able to make some good progress. First thing I am going to do is make a start on my de-cluttering and organising.

A Pair

Pattern: Basic Ribbed Socks by WiseHilda
Yarn: Opal Magic

Started: 1st May 2010
Finished: 15th May 2010

I think I must just have set a record; I have managed to start and complete a pair of socks within a few weeks. Normally when knitting socks I seem to finish the first one then take a break of several months before even starting the second one. I am really pleased with how these have turned out and rather like the mis-matched look. As usual I have a lot of yarn left from the 100gram ball I started with so may well be knitting a pair of trainer socks from the same yarn.

As predicted work is rather frantically busy; which means that I am having to work longer than normal hours and including working at the weekends. This means that I am feeling very tired and stressed out plus my crafting time has been severally reduced. In order to cheer myself up I have decided that I need to start some new projects and so last night cast on a new triangular scarf using a couple of balls of Regia Design Line Kaffe Fascet yarn in the Molten Earth colour way from my stash.

Pattern: Goddess Shawl by the Knitting Goddess
Yarn: Regia Design Line in Mirage Earth
Started: 12th May 2010
WIP

Although this is a great project to have cast-on given my current mood and very tired state, as it is relatively simple but with enough to keep me interested I think I might have to cast-on something else in a more cheerful colour. So I am off to go and have a look through my stash and see what grabs me.

Half A HD

I feel like I might be coming down with a bad case of startitis; so in order to try and stop myself starting dozen of things on Sunday I cast on a pair of simple ribbed socks with a ball of yarn which has been languising in my stash for far too long. This afternoon I managed to finish the first sock and have cast on the second; hope to get most of the knitting on the second sock finished this evening while watching the election results.

Since it would be really difficult to match-up the socks 100%; especially given the one row of pink after the heel on the first sock, I have decided to just go with the flow and started the second sock about were I finished the first so will end up with mis-matched socks.

And finally I have gotten around to blocking my Flames scarf.

Warm & Cosy Flames

Started: 11 Jan 2010

Finished: 24th April 2010

Pattern: Winter Flame by Juliet Romeo Juliet

Yarn: The Knitting Goddess 4ply Sock Yarn in Warm & Cosy colourway

The pattern is a free one I found on Ravelry and I am not sure if it available anywhere else.

April Report and May Goals

My goals for April were:

Stitching

1. Finish Monthly Musings; No progress
2. Make progress on The Big Zipper; No progress
3. Finish Knitting Goddess Needle Holder; stiching finished just needs making up
4. Start & finish Knitting Goddess Stitch Marker Holder; started

Knitting

1. Finish red marble short sleeved jumper; Yes finished and has been worn
2. Finish Mae's yellow cardigan; have made a little progress
3. Make progress on lace long sleeved cardigan; not even picked this project up
4. Make progress on cabled jacket: as with the lace caridgan
5. Finish Blur Easy Lace Scarf; finished
6. Finish Flames scarf; finished the knitting and is currently being blocked
7. Make progress on at least on project for the Knitter's Anonymous Knit Along; Yes Ishbel has been cast-on and is now at the lace section

Other

1. Organise my knitting; beading; stitching and sewing stash; Not done
2. Finish at least one quilting /patchwork / sewing project; No
3. Decorate my bathroom; No
4. Make at least 4 posts to this blog; Yes

So in all I managed to finish 5 of the 15 goals I set myself and made a small amount of progress towards completing a few others. I did also manage to finish one pair of socks which have been a WIP since last November and I gave away the left over yarn to a friend in my knitting group who is making a sock blanket.

May is going to be very busy work wise so I am going to try and be a little less ambitious in my goal setting while still giving myself plenty of choice of things to do otherwise I will just end up doing something not on the list.

Stitching

1. Finish Monthly Musings
2. Make progress on The Big Zipper
3. Finish Knitting Goddess Needle Holder
4. Finish Knitting Goddess Stitch Marker Holder
5. Start one small project from stash

Knitting

1. Finish Mae's yellow cardigan
2. Make progress on lace long sleeved cardigan
3. Make progress on cabled jacket
4. Finish Ishbel Shawl
5. Cast-on 2nd project for the KA KAL
6. Cast-0n and finish a pair of socks using yarn from stash

Other

1. Organise my knitting; beading; stitching and sewing stash
2. Finish at least one quilting /patchwork / sewing project
3. Decorate my bathroom
   

Train Journeys and Crafting

Pattern: Peekaboo Socks by Tracie Dawkins

Yarn: Rico Designs Superba Print 4-ply (less than 0.5 of 10gram ball used)

Started: 28th November 2009

Finished: 30th April 2010

Each morning I have a 20 minute train journey into the office which is a perfect time do a little bit of crafting as I can not sit doing nothing for even 5 minutes. But I have discovered that I have to have just the right project with me. I do not like knitting on straight needles as there is always the risk of hitting those sitting around me so knitting projects have to be either on short dpns or circulars. Additionally knitting patterns have to have short rows as I do not like stopping mid-row; and an easy to remember pattern as juggling my knitting, my handbag, my laptop plus a knitting pattern is not always practicable on a busy commuter train. Stitching on the train is also out as there are too many items to juggle with. Having finished my flames scarf and got Ishbel to the start of the lace section I needed another project for the train this week so picked up a long neglected WIP, Peekaboo socks. The first sock in this pair was cast-on sometime in 2009 as I had planned to make several pairs of socks as Christmas gifts but never got around to completing them in time. But this week I have managed to complete the second sock.

These socks are now on their way to a friend of mine who is having a rough time at the moment as I thought they might cheer her up a little bit.

Knitting - Progress Being Made.

I have finished the knitting on the Flames scarf and the scarf is currently being blocked. Work has been progressing, slowly, on the cardigan that I am knitting for my niece.

I have worked out why I am not moving faster on this – I hate the edging it looks (well will) look great but is a pain to do. As my niece is coming to stay at the weekend I have set myself the task of at least getting the main parts completed; I currently have the back & right front completed so finishing the sleeves and left front should be do-able in 3 days.

As a reward for finishing a couple of projects I cast on my first project for the Knitters Anonymous KAL on Ravelry which I am participating in. My chosen project is Ishbel by Ysolda which I am knitting in Wendy Happy 4-ply yarn in the Virgo colourway. This is a pattern which I have been admiring for a long time but have never gotten the courage to start before now. It is my first attempt at a triangular shawl and I already know that it will not be my last. After a false start because I did not like the yarn I had initially chosen it is now knitting up very fast and I think if I did not get distracted by other things could easily be finished within a week of starting.

Pattern: Ishbel by Ysolda
Yarn: Wendy Happy in Virgo
Started: 25th April 2010

Another Finish

I seem to be on a role at the moment and have managed to complete the short sleeved jumper I had been knitting for myself; if I had worked on it consistently it would have been a quick project but at usual I kept getting distracted by other projects. I have also very nearly finished the Flames scarf and once I have done so I think I will reward myself for having managed to complete 3 projects by casting on a new one. Over on Ravelry I have joined a group called Knitters Annoymous which is currently holding a 3 month KAL; the idea is that during April, May and June we each knit a baby item, a pair of socks, a pair of gloves and a shawl or wrap. But the twist is that the chosen pattern for each item has to start with 4 adjoining letters of the alphabet. My starting point is going to be an Ishbel shawl; once that is completed I shall decide on my other 3 patterns.

Pattern: Sider Leaflet No 9067

Yarn: James Brett Marble Chunky

Finished: 20-April-2010

Progress to Report

Easy Blur Scarf

Started: ????

Completed: 12 April 2010

Pattern One Row Lace Scarf by Turvid

Yarn: Sirdar Blur (from my stash)

Progress has been made!! I have managed to finish my blur scarf; it was knit from one ball of Sirdar Blur yarn using a free pattern I found on Ravelry called One Row Lace Scarf. The pattern is really simple yet effective and is just the right sort of project for taking with me on the train journey to / from work. The scarf was not made with any one in mind but will be added to the basket in which I keep hand crafted items which will one day be gifted to either a friend or family member. Finishing this scarf means that there is one less ball of yarn in my stash and 5 gifts in my basket.

As well as completing the blur scarf I have also made progress with the Flames scarf; WIP picture below and almost completed the sleeveless jumper which I am knitting for myself in James Brett Marble chunky. Tonight I hope to complete the jumper so that I can wear it when I go to knitting club on Saturday.

Warm & Cosy Flames
Started: 11 Jan 2010
WIP
Pattern: Winter Flame by Juliet Romeo Juliet
Yarn: The Knitting Goddess 4ply Sock Yarn in Warm & Cosy colourway

April

I can not believe how fast this year is going and I don't seem to have made much progress with all my crafting other than to start lots more projects and to buy lots more stash. So in an attempt to get more focus I have decided to set myself some goals.

In no particular order in April I would like to:

Stitching

1. Finish Monthly Musings
2. Make progress on The Big Zipper
3. Finish Knitting Goddess Needle Holder
4. Start & finish Knitting Goddess Stitch Marker Holder

Knitting

1. Finish red marble short sleeved jumper
2. Finish Mae's yellow cardigan
3. Make progress on lace long sleeved cardigan
4. Make progress on cabled jacket
5. Finish Blur Easy Lace Scarf
6. Finish Flames scarf
7. Make progress on at least on project for the Knitter's Anonymous Knit Along

Other

1. Organise my knitting; beading; stitching and sewing stash
2. Finish at least one quilting /patchwork / sewing project
3. Decorate my bathroom
4. Make at least 4 (not including this one) posts to this blog

Having made the list it looks rather long so I would be pleased to at complete at least half of them this month; the remaining goals can be carried over into May.